What If She Stayed
by Mansynthe
Summary: Will the Princess listen to her heart or her mind? Can she see past Ash's glamour? Would she be in more danger with Puck or Ash? Someone has a secret and it's a hidden one. Slowly the secret is revealed and once uncovered, it leaves scars. Bloody ones.
1. Rabbit

**Disclaimer:** _I do not own any of the character's used in this story. This story is _based_ on the Iron Fey series written by Julie Kagawa (an amazing writer)._

**AN;** _I decided to re-write my other story. It was really a pathetic piece of work and I do not plan on continuing it. So this is a newer story. You can read 'Change of Plan' since I have left it up, but I wouldn't recommend you do so. This is an entirely different story, but it shares the same concept._

_In this chapter, we start where Titania was about to turn Meghan into a Hart, instead she turns her into a rabbit before Oberon finds her. Things will be explained later on that aren't explained here, but feel free to ask any way._

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Our eyes met, her's a raging whirlwind of hatred and murderous intent. I kept my composure, though I was afraid. I couldn't let my brave front fall apart now. If it did I was done for. Even though she was the wife of my father, she rebuked me with all of her power. Well, maybe not all of it. She _was_ a heartless, soulless faery. That meant she could destroy me in a matter of milliseconds with the slightest of ease. Something in her eyes told me she wasn't about to forgive me for speaking to her directly.

Did she honestly expect me to respect her? The way she spoke of me to my _face_ was enough to anger me. She had called me a bastard, used innocent and terrified Tansy to speak to me for her (even though I could hear her perfectly), and just threatened to turn me into a Hart. I wasn't about to stand there and be treated like dirt all because she was a jealous, spoiled, overgrown brat. If I wasn't so terrified that I might die, I would have told her just what she was. Unfortunately, I wasn't going to get away so easily.

Now would have been the perfect timing for Puck to swoop in and save me. "_No chance of that_," I thought, "_He's in a cage. Poor Puck, no wonder he stayed with me for so long. If I lived here with _this_ hag, I would've left a _long_ time ago._" With that thought my heart squeezed a little. I was alone. I pushed those thoughts out my mind. I had to concentrate on Titania. If I was to escape here alive I had to focus.

Before I could move again, a bright blue light flashed in front of my face. My body started to change, stretching and pulling, my skin growing tight. My limbs shrank and my ears pulled back so much it hurt, like they were being pulled to the top of my head. My fingers almost melted together as they became shorter. Lots of white hair protruded from my skin until I was covered in white fluff and the ground rushed up to my face until I could smell the dirt. I blinked as the light faded away.

Everything was much bigger now, Tansy was towering over me and the Queen was sitting back in her throne, gigantic and laughing, almost too loudly. My ear twitched atop my head as realization dawned on me. The witch had turned me into a _rabbit_. A fluffy little creature with no hope of survival in a place like this. I looked back up to Tansy who looked mortified. I tried speaking, but it came out as a tiny gurgle-scream, barely audible.

"Now, you pathetic bastard," she said, squinting her eyes at me, smiling sadistically. "_Run_." she said, the word dripping with venom. I startled at that, my tiny heart pounding my frail ribcage. I didn't hesitate. I turned and bounded through the garden, everything much larger than when I had first entered. It was all pretty intimidating. Behind me I heard Tansy pleading Titania for something, followed by a barking sound. Before I could be bothered to worry, someone stepped in front of me and swooped me up.

I sat there, in their arms, whoever they were, shuddering and shaky. My ears twitched uncontrollably as the person moved slowly, elegantly, not letting me go. I wasn't about to move, anyway. As the person neared the direction I had just come from, I saw a two-headed dog, vicious and hungry. Upon my savior's arrival, the dog whimpered and lay down, it's heads resting on it's giant paws. Titania's face was full of disdain as a loud, thundering voice shook the ground. It was the person who had saved me.

"Wife," said Oberon, "You are never to cause harm to my daughter. You must never see her again. If any harm shall come to her, your place on the throne shall belong to someone else." he said sternly. Titania sat up straight, obviously livid that she would have to treat _me_ with respect. I saw else behind her eyes, as he spoke. I saw hurt and pain hidden beneath all the rage.

Despite that, I found comfort in his words somehow. I knew he wasn't about to break any laws. As a king he had to uphold them, even when it came to me, but it was nice to know he was protective over me. I was not sure if he cared about _me_ specifically, but he definitely didn't want me to die. Which was great.

Without a word from either of them, Oberon handed me to a trembling Tansy. She gave a low bow and we left. I wasn't sure where she was taking me, but the little satyr seemed to know where she was going. We traveled forever until we came to a stop in the forest in front of a golden door. She knocked three times, careful not to drop me.

A few seconds later the opened and a familiar scent caught the wind. I couldn't see inside the room, but I knew where I was. I leaped out of Tansy's arms bounced into the room. The beautiful golden tile was cold against my paws as I examined the place. Tansy stood there, biting her nails, afraid to enter. I, however, was comfortable with being here. "Come back, Princess!" cried Tansy, like she was afraid I would killed or something. I ignored her as I looked around the room.

In one corner sat a chest with a stuffed rabbit- and I'm not talkin' cute-little-toy. Taxidermist, much? Beside the rabbit was a lamp with a round, purple shade decorated with golden stripes. In another corner was a large bed, sheer orange cloth draping around the sides to make a canopy. The sheets were purple and dark blue silk. It didn't all match together, but room theme was Moroccan themed. It was like being in a rich gypsy's bedroom. In the center of the room, there was a giant golden fountain, the water changing from one color to another, there were too many colors to count. Behind me were tables of different sizes lined against the wall. Atop the tables were different oddities like a crystal ball, a giant purple feather, three small orbs floating around each other among a zillion other beautiful things.

Before I could marvel any longer, a door from the far side of me opened and in stepped the owner of this stunning home. There, standing in all his glory, stood Puck. I hopped over to him, excitedly. Hopefully he could turn me human again. I sat at his feet and stared up at him. I was a little disappointed to see a look of utter confusion displayed on his face. I couldn't blame him though, he didn't know I had been turned into a rabbit.

"Where did _you_ come from?" he asked, reaching down to pick me up. I dodged. I figured that it would be funny to mess with him a little, since he didn't recognize me. It would be really pathetic to skip a chance like this. After all those pranks he'd pulled and times he made fun of me, it was finally my turn to get him back. Without another thought about it, I dashed under the bed in the corner, bumping my head on the wooden frame as I dove for it. He, as expected, followed. I heard him curse rabbits under his breath as he knelt to the floor.

I was a little a dazed as I slid across the slick floor, but came to just as his arm brushed over my fur. I ran again, this time hitting the wall. This wasn't going to be easy. I shook it off (though my nose throbbed and my whiskers twitched erratically) and jumped onto the lower section of his nightstand, and onto his bed. I took note of where he kept his journal, under the lamp on his bedside table. It almost looked like it had a name that began with _Ari_, but the rest was faded too much to see it from there.

A second later he hopped up from the floor on the other side of his bed. He had slid underneath and gotten stuck as I was examining his items, but now he was up and ready to pounce. He reached out his arms and tried scooping me up with a lunge forward, but I was too smart for that. My timing was perfect as I bobbed to the left and he missed, landing with a face full of silken sheets.

I tried laughing as I hopped onto his back, but it came out as a squeal. _Rabbit's can't laugh?_ I asked myself as he growled. I knew he was about to get up, but I stayed there. I hurtled into the air as he flipped over and I landed squarely in the center of his chest. I sat there in a defiant stance, staring down at him. My ear twitched a little. I hopped on to a round pillow and sat there, watching his angry look fade into a lazy grin.

He sat upright as Tansy peered around the door. "Who is this?" he asked, almost like he didn't care. "Look, I know you want to save all of Titania's little pets, but I can't help you all the time." he said, as I hopped into his lap. "Well, this one seems to like me," he paused, contemplating. "But I can't help it." he decided, uncaring. Did Puck have visitors like me often? Did Tansy bring other people here as rabbits due to Titania? He picked me up and walked over to Tansy as I contemplated this.

"But, master Puck," she said sweetly, "This one is - " she was cut short as he handed me to her. I didn't give either of them time to say anything else as I leaped out of her hands and back into his room. I refused to be a rabbit forever and if he could help me, he _would_ help me. I _was_ his best friend after all.

"Come here!" he snapped, slamming the door in Tansy's face. I hopped over to him and he sighed, pulling me back up into his arms. "Well," he said curiously. "Are you a guy or a girl?" Realization struck me as he lifted me up, but I flipped into the air and kicked him in the face, hopping over to door.

Tansy knocked three times again and the door opened, knocking me to the side. Puck looked irritated as I got back onto my paws. As I examined his face I saw three large scratch marks across his nose. Being a rabbit was really starting to suck. I bounced over to Tansy, who was starting to say something, but Puck interrupted, stepping on my paw. I screamed high pitchedly and he stepped back, a goofy grin once more plastered across his face. I glared up at him as my paw throbbed.

"Aren't most of Titania's rabbits brown? Unless they're a fey, in which case it would be black. But I've never seen a white rabbit. Then again, Titania doesn't turn humans very often." he said, mostly to himself. Tansy opened her mouth to speak again, but Puck didn't notice as he continued his monologue. "Aren't humans gray, though?" he asked, eying me suspiciously.

Tansy rolled her eyes waiting for him to finally understand. I glared up at him and hopped over to his feet. He stared, contemplating again.

"What are you?" he asked. Like I could answer? Idiot...

"She's half-fey." said Tansy. Her voice was quiet and soft, though irritated.

"Oh, that makes sense. Wait," his expression was one of pure shock. "Meghan?" he asked. I didn't say anything. I couldn't.

"Yep." said Tansy, picking me up and handing me to him. I was starting to get sick of so many people holding me.

"Why didn't you say so in the first place?" he exclaimed, taking me and rushing into his room. Tansy waited outside, patiently. Puck placed me on a small sofa with throw pillows here and there. "Well, here goes." he said. He whispered something and the air around me bacame unsettling. My fur stood on end as I waited. Nothing happened for a few seconds and I started to worry, but then a light exploded around me. I didn't feel anything happening and I suddenly became to sleepy to stand.

I collapsed to my right and drifted off into sleep, with nothing but darkness to comfort me.


	2. Puck's House

**AN;**_ In this chapter, Meghan wakes up and finds herself in Puck's room. Yeah, I know, so many opportunities. But I had to add a little fight-scene between them. Anyway, leave comments/reviews. They're always loved, as is critique (just don't flat-out insult me, that's not criticism). Don't worry, I'm not a Gremlin, I wont bite._

A soft snoring drifted as I awoke from my deep slumber. I blinked my eyelids open, turning my head to one side. I looked around the room, in a sleepy daze. This wasn't my room. This room was way to splendid to be _my_ room. It was amazingly colorful and, for some reason, it made me think of Puck. I sat up, startled, when I realized where I was.

Yesterday came flooding back. I had been turned into a rabbit and Tansy brought me here in hopes that Puck could turn me human again. Considering that everything was smaller, I assumed he had. _But when did I change back?_ I glanced around and noticed Tansy on the floor, sleeping on a thin mat with a sheet pulled over her head. I knew it was her because of the horns peeking through the curly hair. It was her snoring I had heard.

Moonlight through the window cast a blue glow on everything, making the colors sparkle. I hadn't noticed earlier, but there were jewels encrested into the walls, the fountain in the middle of the room, and even the floor. Somehow I had a feeling they weren't even _there_ earlier. How could someone not love this place? Then Titania crossed my mind. I shuddered and tucked the thought away somewhere deep inside my mind.

I tossed the soft almost-too-good-to-leave blankets back and stood up, a little dizzy. My legs were tingly and heavy, and I almost fell over. After a few moments of regaining my balance, I turned to fix the covers. Once that was done I climbed onto the bed and lay there, staring at the sparkling, sheer canopy. I smiled to myself and thought, "_I want this room. Maybe I could make a trade with Puck or something._" Then again, he would probably want something like, well, _you know_. That.

"_Would he? I mean, it's not like I would do anything. But still_." I wondered if he had any secrets he kept from me like that. Had he ever been serious with someone? Had he ever had any serious relationships? Just how old _was_ he anyway, and, and what did he know? How _much_ did he know? He would never tell me if I asked him, and he seemed like the type to change the subject if I brought it up. Then I remembered his journal. I pondered a moment, then, without hesitation, I swung my legs to the other side of the bed and pulled it out from under the lamp, careful not to wake Tansy.

I studied the cover as I pulled my legs back onto the bed. I discovered the book had a name on the bottom, but I couldn't see it very well in the dark. The book was turquoise with floral embellishment on the sides, a rose was painted through the word 'Diary' which was very elegantly hand-written. I flipped it open and noticed the pages were thin. I would be careful not to rip them.

The words on the pages were neatly written, almost perfectly. The words seemed magical, almost leaping off the page. I felt as if they would come alive at any moment and sing. The book, though it looked old, didn't smell book-ish. A flowery scent came from the book. It smelt very feminine and it didn't seem like something _Puck_ would have. He never struck me as the journalist type, but ... there's a first time for everything. Time to find out who he _really_ was. All his secrets, his feelings and thoughts, memories, and hopes for the future were within these pages. Maybe even something I could use against him one day, if he ever decided to abandon me in a forest again.

I began reading immediately, scooting over to the edge so I could see it better in the moonlight. The words on the pages almost stopped my heart. I stared at it, astounded that it was dated back to over two-hundred years ago. When I finally began reading, I didn't know if I should laugh or cry at the new discovery.

_Dear Diary, _

_Today was amazing. I met a two wonderful boys around my age. They were friendly to me. One was a Summer fey. I knew I could've gotten into a lot of trouble talking to him. Still yet he made me laugh a lot and we became friends. The other young man I met was, believe it or not, a _Prince_! He was beautiful and charming. Lucky for me, he was of the Winter courts..._

The journal entries went on about these two guys, the latter being the majority of it. and I was swept away, like I was reading a faery tale. This book was about a beautiful Prince with the biggest heart. There was nothing mentioning me, which made me a little sad, given that he had been with me for quite some time. Then again, he probably didn't get to write in it because of watching over me. "_I guess I'm not as important as _Prince _Charming_."

What confused me was that the Prince mentioned in the journal was of the Unseelie Court. How could Puck like someone from the other territory? Wouldn't Oberon fry him for that? I was almost disappointed as I continued reading.

After about six pages, I had had more than I could handle. Puck is gay? No way. No effin' way, he would have told me. Oh wait, he lied to me for over half of my life. Never mind that, then. I closed the book and stood up, placing it where I had been sitting. I turned and quietly tip-toed over to the window, my shadow passing over the glistening tile. Looking outside I saw faeries dancing in the distance, drawing my attention away from the journal. They were too far away to see me, but I could see them. They were majestic and beautiful, swaying to the music.

I was carried away by the beauty, when I suddenly saw their heads begin to morph into some snakelike form. I almost screamed and covered my mouth to keep from doing so, but the fear was replaced my amusement when I saw fiery red zoom past them. It must have been Puck's doing. Suddenly I was angry that he ruined the moment, but it was probably for the best. If I had listened to it any longer, I may have ventured out on my own. Something I never _ever_ wanted to do in Faery.

It would be dangerous for a human, like myself, to leave without a guide or someone who knew their way around, and sometimes that still didn't help. I'd had Puck, but he deserted me because of some guy who apparently wanted us dead for the fun of it. I still had to talk to him about that... Then I'd had Grimalkin, a cait sith who had no regard for the poison coursing through my veins as he made me walk to find someone who could save me. I still had to thank them, though. Without either of them I would have been killed.

Just then, the door opened. I turned swiftly to see who it was, but I didn't see a door. I looked to my right and found it, but it wasn't the door I had entered his home through. Oberon must've conjured that one up. Wouldn't Puck have noticed a new door in his wall, though? The door on my right was the only door here now. Puck stared at me a moment with a look I didn't understand before a grin spread across his face.

In that moment, it was easy to see how this home had become his. He seemed like the type to live in a secret extravagant place that he would tell no one about. He wore a dark-brown leather vest that exposed his navel. It laced up from the bottom, going up to his collar-bone, ending in a v-shape. At first I didn't notice what was different about him, when it hit me like a smack to the face. He was _muscular_. The tall and lanky Robbie actually had muscle underneath all of those baggy tee shirts. His tight pants were no exception. They, too, showed off his muscular physique. My stomach flipped and I jerked my chin toward the window, unsure of my feelings. In the back of my mind, I knew he could sense it.

"Well, well," he began, "Looks like Sleeping Beauty finally decided to wake up." he joked. Tansy stirred in her sleep and I shushed him, motioning to her. He simply nodded and walked over to the bed. I looked at him mortified when I noticed I had left the book, but it was too late to do anything. He sat on it and leaped up with a yell. "What in the _world_ -" he asked, but before I could answer, he saw the journal.

He didn't say anything at first and he turned toward me slowly, anger etched on his face. I figured I should apologize or at least tell him that I knew. I would just tell him the truth, I thought. "I read it." I said bluntly. I smiled to make the atmosphere a little light-hearted, but he turned a glare on me. It was a look so ghastly I thought he might hit me, and I jumped back.

He picked it up, though he still said nothing. "It's okay." I continued. "If you're into guys, I'm totally fine with that-" I didn't get to finish. He was in front of me in a flash, his chest heaving. He was really _really_ pissed. It scared me to see him so angry. Robbie was always making jokes out of _everything_, making fun of everyone. He never took anything seriously. For a second I questioned if it really was Robbie standing there. "_He's not Robbie. Idiot, he's _Puck_._" I told myself. In all honesty, I didn't know who _this_ was. This was a foreign part of my best friend that I had_ never _seen.

"_What_?" he snapped. "I knew bringing a pathetic _human_ here was a mistake. I swear it on my _life_ that I will _never_ do this again!" he yelled, mostly at himself, but he was looking right at me, pure fury swirling in his green eyes. I stood there in shock. Was this really the guy who had been my best friend, or at least _pretended_ to be, for over ten years? His face was blood red and his eyes had even more hatred in them than Titania's when she had turned me into a rabbit. I tried to swallow the painful lump in my throat, but it was no use.

"Robbie, I'm sorr-" I stopped again, noticing I called him by his fake name. "I meant to say, Puck." I said, trying not to trip over my words, though it was a failed attempt. I stammered a little and the word 'say' turned out like 'thay' because I was _scared_ of him. Then it hit me. The realizes sucked the breath right out me. He had called me pathetic. "_He actually said that to me_". I looked away from him and stared out the window, trying to distract myself from crying. I felt tears stinging my eyes and tried to focus on the faeries outside. I felt him move away from me, cold air filling the space where he once stood

When I heard the door slam shut behind me it startled me and, all at once, I started bawling my eyes out as I sank to the floor. Tansy jumped up as soon as he left the room. Obviously she hadn't been asleep the whole time. I wiped away the tears and looked up at Tansy, who was now by my side. She had a sympathetic expression on her face as she knelt beside me. I sniffled and she handed me a tissue, which seemed to have come right out of thin air. Her presence seemed to make me a little happier.

"Thanks," I said. "Why did he get so mad?" I asked, as if she had the answer. And she did.

"That book belonged to a girl he was close to." Tansy said, almost in a whisper. She patted me on the back and pulled away, sitting on the floor cross legged. _So he wasn't gay._

"The name on the cover." I said out loud, though I was talking to myself. "The name on the cover was _her's_." I had no idea what I was holding. It held the deepest secrets and the heart of a girl who had lost it or given it to him. A girl who he had, according to Tansy, been in love with. I suddenly didn't blame him for being mad. That wasn't the reason I was crying in the first place, though. I was crying because I had hurt him. I had never seen him so angry in my life. The thought of hurting someone that much made my stomach contract into a tight little ball of despair.

Tansy stared at me and offered a consoling smile. I smiled back, though my mind was elsewhere, and stood up, using the tissue the satyr girl had given me. Afterward, I turned to the door. "Tansy, where does that door lead?" I asked, sadness subsiding. I took a few deep breaths until my voice was no longer shaky.

"We should wait for the other door to appear." she said nervously. "It will be back in the day time." she said nervously, obviously not wanting to follow me outside that door. She seemed to know what was lurking outside that door. Even though I really didn't want to know either, I _had_ to. I needed to know what I would be up against, so I persisted, though I had no intentions of letting her follow me anyway.

"I have to find him, he's my best friend." I said sternly. "If he thinks I'm pathetic, then he's wrong. I make it out of here without any help. Tansy, you're not coming with me this time." I said to her, turning to find my shoes. Then I noticed my clothes. They were different than what I wore before I was turned into a rabbit.

I was now wearing a dark green hooded sweater that fit me _perfectly_, hugging my skin. It was moveable and I could breathe it in. It reminded me of something I had wanted before my sixteenth birthday. The only person I told was Robbie who, technically, didn't even exist anymore. Still, Puck must've remembered. Unfortunately, when I looked down at my legs, I was wearing tight, short, brown shorts. "_That scheming devil..._" I thought. I would give him an earful when I found him. _If_ I found him. Finally, I noticed that I was wearing knee socks, a light brown, almost the color of my skin. To be honest, I kind of liked wearing these clothes. They weren't too girly, they weren't too revealing - besides the shorts - and if I had the money, I would be wearing stuff like this all the time. Minus the socks. I honestly felt that they were a little tacky.

"The Wyldwood is beyond that door. I am ordered to follow you by King Oberon, so..." she said, timidly, knowing I wouldn't stay. Seems she had made up her mind too. I spotted a mirror close by and strode over to it. When I saw myself I thought I looked like an elven archer. My face was still unfamiliar to me. I could never get used to the person in the mirror. When I examined the clothes I felt, for the first time, _beautiful._ I actually felt like I looked good. My hair was a little messy, so I grabbed a beautiful golden hair brush, decorated with seashells, and brushed it through my hair. I tried to covering my ears, but they still poked through.

After I was finished gawking at myself, I felt invigorated to find him. I was going to tell him I was sorry and make everything better- and if he had a problem with it, oh well. With an all new confidence I flounced over to the door and ...

Then I stopped. I had no shoes. I looked back at Tansy, who was already holding shoes. They were _not_ my sneakers. They soft leather boots, that cuffed at the top. They were dark brown like the color of her fur. I took them slowly, almost not wanting to wear them, but what option did I have? Puck had probably done away with my real shoes anyway. I placed them on the floor and stepped into them. They didn't slide on easily and I had to bend over and pull them on. I turned back to the door and hesitated.

Outside those doors was the wretched forest that seemed to hate me. You couldn't trust anything living there and you definitely could _not_ trust the forest itself. It had thorns and trees with shadows hiding in them, the trees themselves were rude. Anything and everything here was alive and had a personality of it's own. If I didn't know any better, I'd even say the ground was alive.

With a deep breath, I opened the door and stepped outside. The area was forested, trees close together, but big enough for me to walk through. Mist swirled around my ankles and I was very wary of the lack of bushes or flowers, or thorns for that matter. Was this Puck's territory? Did he clear out the place to make it look ... human friendly? I looked around before I decided to go straight forward. Tansy followed me, shutting the door quietly. I couldn't even hear her hooves padding along the dirt, she was so silent.

As we walked, thoughts of Puck entered my mind. What had happened when I was unconscious? Where did my origninal clothes go? And- wait. Was I even wearing a _bra_? I looked down alarmed, but calmed down to find that I was. But it wasn't mine, I could tell by the strap poking out at the top. As I tucked it into my shirt I hoped that it was Tansy who had dressed me, or at least, glamour. "_Ah, he used galmour,_" I thought with a relieved sigh_. _"_Wait- he glamoured my bra! What _else_ did that pervert glamourize?_"I thought, embarrassed. No way I was checking my underwear. I was almost afraid they wouldn't be there.

I turned to speak to Tansy and was shocked that I didn't see her. Tansy wasn't the type to just leave someone. I looked for her behind trees for at least five minutes before I started to worry. I had called her name and looked up to see if she was _in_ the trees. Unfortunately I couldn't find her. I hoped something hadn't eaten her as I ran back to find Puck's house. I stopped after what seemed like hours, deciding that I was utterly lost. I hadn't even been walking for 20 minutes when Tansy disappeared.

I stopped and leaned against a tree, panting heavily. After my breath was back and I was breathing normally again. I called out for Puck, knowing it was useless. I heard something like a twig snapping from somewhere around me and I jumped back, hitting the tree. I mumbled a curse before looking around to find out where it had come from, panic setting in. "Who's there?" I called.

When I turned around, my fear was replaced with Panic. I had finally found Puck, but he was looking at me with a straight face. No grin, no frown. Nothing. I started to say something, but he smiled and I stopped mid-sentence. That caught me off guard. It was odd seeing him with, not a grin or smirk, a smile. Something was off about him, but I couldn't place it. Despite that, I had to suck it up and hold my composure. I was tired from all that running, but it was actually worth it. If I had the chance to make up with my best friend, then so be it. I didn't care what he, or anyone else, had to say about it. He _was_ my friend. That would not change because I_ read a book_.

"Look, Puck," I began, "I'm sorry for reading the book." I stated, trying to sound nonchalant. I inhaled deeply and walked over to him, one foot in front of the other, swinging my hips a bit. I found it funny to tease him, given what had just happened. I knew that sulking and being sad about it wouldn't help, so I had to be strong. And what's stronger than a good sense of humor? And an edge of sexiness. Maybe the shorts weren't so bad after all.

"It's alright," he said, reaching out to brush a strand of my hair from my face. I shrank back a little, staring at his eyes. Something was wrong. This didn't feel Puck. He would have said something, or done something that upset me. That, or he would have turned and walked away, since I made him angry. "All's forgiven. Why don't we go back to my place and sort all of this out?"

His soft voice almost made me want to follow, but this was _not_ Puck. I had to test, just to make sure. How would I do that? Ah! The book. There was a name on the bottom of the book. all I had to do was ask what it was. Still, I didn't know the entire name. All I saw as A-R-I, and the rest was unreadable. Still, if he got the name wrong on the first try, I would know to high-tail it immediately.

"I have a question," stated, sternly. I almost startled myself. My stomach dropped and my knees turned to jello as I found myself being pulled into a hug. My head was on his chest and he was stroking my hair before I could think. I heard a raven cawing overhead as it landed on a branch above me.

"Yes, what is it?" he said, almost sounding alluring, pulling my attention away from the bird. No, not almost, but _really_ captivating. For a moment I couldn't breathe as I stood in shock. I shook myself from the daze and quickly asked my question, my heart pounding out of my chest. When I noticed this about myself, I also noticed something that scared me. Puck's heart wasn't beating.

"U-um, well. The name on the book. What was it?" I asked, trying to pull away. His arms weren't moving. I stood there, trying not to freak out. It wasn't working. Puck had a heartbeat, I _knew_ for sure Puck would have let me go since he and I didn't have that kind of relationship, and Puck ... had _Green_ eyes! This guy's eyes were brown, almost black. The moment I realized all of this, I saw a glimpse of glamour from the corner of my eye. The next second I saw pitch black, wrinkly skin where a once finely-fleshed hand had been. This was a _bogey-man_. Literally. Laugh it up, all you want, but when you find one of these, you're more or less screwed.

"Don't worry about that now, sweetheart." he whispered, and I caught a slight growl in his voice. This was one of those things that wanted to kill me. He must have sensed that I was scared because his grip on me tightened. I felt his breath on my ear and shuddered, pushing him away with all my might. I actually grunted as I pulled away, but I managed to slip out of his grasp. It was no easy task, but I wasn't about to be fooled by a _bogey _-man. The thought alone was embarrassing enough.

"Puck doesn't call me sweetheart! What kind of idiot do you think I am?" I asked, not really anticipating an answer. I suddenly wished I hadn't asked that question. Of course I was an idiot. I just _had_ to take the leap of faith to test the waters. I could have kept my distance and asked that question. But, no. Curiosity got the better of me.

"What? I never called you an idiot. Come with me, it'll be alright." he said, casting his gaze down upon me. I moved back a few feet and bogey-man-Puck followed.

"No. I can see through your glamour." said, taking on a fighting stance, my fists up in front of me, feet shoulder width apart. I would honestly fight if I had to, considering Puck and Tansy were gone, and I had no one else to fight for me, anyway. "What would Goodfellow say if he saw you impersonating him right now?" I said, backing away some more. The false-Puck looked at me, angrily, his glamour fading. Now I was beginning to wish I didn't tell him all that.

The bogey-man's face was shrewed up and his fingers were simply skin sagging from toothpick-thin bones. I almost threw up, looking at the black, wrinkle-y figure in front of me. I swallowed the bile that had crept up my throat, and eased out of my fighting pose. I prepared to run when a familiar voice caught me off guard.

"Yes, what _would_ Goodfellow say?" the voice said. Relief blossomed and flowed trough my veins, all traces of fear going away. I was still a little tensed up, aware that there was something down here with me that wanted to lure me away. God knows what else it would have done to me. Images and thoughts crossed my mind, but I turned my attention up to the tree above me.

Puck was standing on a thick tree branch, arms crossed over his chest, green eyes glittering with morbid hunger. He was in a casual position, almost lazy looking, but there was no mistaking the look on his face. Part of me wondered what was going on in that brain of his. I was too relieved to see someone who would save me to be worried about what he was thinking. If he wanted to roast the bogey and eat him, I would probably_ join in_.

He peered down at us, pushed himself off of the tree, and leaped down to the forest floor. The fog departed with a '_whoosh_' as he landed, then swirled around him as he stood, facing the creature that dare make a mockery of him. That was _Puck's _gimmick. He was a Jester after all, right?

"Sorry, Princess. Did ya' miss me?" he asked in his smart-alecky way. I knew he was smirking, whether sarcastically or sadistically, I wasn't sure. I didn't say anything and he didn't look back at me. He was focused on the monster who had just attacked me. The bogey-man limped backward a bit, giving off a wraith-like aura. I shuddered and looked away.

"Well, let's get this over with." Puck said when no one spoke. He laced his fingers behind his head and casually walked over to the monster like it was _nothing_. "Shame on you, pretending to be me, just to win over some unfortunate girl's heart." he scolded in a mock-parental voice. "Before I kill you, tell me something. Why did you want to impersonate _me_?" he sounded curious now. Not scary or intimidating, not goofy and aloof, but actually serious. This was a little heavy for me. It was _Robbie_. Not Robbie, but Puck. Robin Goodfellow. He was a jester and loved being silly, so seeing him serious was confusing.

The bogey remained silent as it crept backward. It looked around frantically, trying to hide behind it's hands. Puck just cocked and eyebrow and looked at it, like it was utterly stupid.

"Fine then, we'll do it your way." Puck walked over him and reached for the creature. It jumped back, but Puck was too fast. Grabbing the monster's head with both hands, he snapped it's neck. The crunching sound was too much for me and turned around, trying not to puke. The black thing was silent and I heard a ripping sound, followed by a thud. It's body had hit the ground. I whipped around and saw that my friend was holding a black, wrinkly head in one hand, by the skin.

I closed my eyes tightly as he turned to me and shook his head, a grin spreading across his face. I opened them again and found him walking toward me. I glanced at the thing in his hand, eyes still wide open, before tried to get away. Dear God, what was he doing? He wasn't _proud_ of it was he?

"Horrible bastards," he sighed, "But, what can ya do?" he stopped in front of me.

"Put that down, Puck, or I swear I'll hit you." I bit my lip and looked down, realizing what I had just done. I had just made a vow, and I was bound by that. Here in Feary, if someone made a vow or promise, they were forced to follow through unless they were killed. Even if they were near death or paraplegic, they would still have to keep their vow.

"Oh, boy." he sighed, dropping the head. "You really screwed up, Princess," he stated, as if I didn't already know. But he had dropped the head and now he was no longer in danger of being hit, which I was already considering. "I was going to make you carry it all the way back to my place as punishment for snooping in my room, but I'm not going to get hit over something like that."

"What? You wanted to keep that thing?" I almost yelled. "Why would you want something like, like that?"

"I didn't really want it, I just wanted to make you suffer for a little while, seeing as how jumpy you are." he laughed and stood there. Then his eyebrows up and he gave a little jump, as if his I.Q had just surpassed 200. "I have another way you can gain my approval back- " I stopped him before he went on.

"Approval? Are you insane? I don't need your approval for anything." I said, defending myself. It wasn't like he was my guardian or anything. "I came out here on my own, and I found you all by myself. I don't think I need your approval for anything." when I finished he looked at me, and 'hmph-ed' and turned away.

"Fine then, Princess, find your own way back." he said. "Just try not to run into anymore bogey-men. Next time I wont be here to help."

Ah, crap. "Wait, I need you." I told him, walking over to him. I realized that sounded like a lot more than it was supposed to, especially when he gave me an intense look that said he agreed whole-heatedly. I was probably just imagining things, though, and shook it off. "I mean, I need your help. I can't get out of here by myself and Tansy is-" my words caught in my throat as I remembered the girl. "_Tansy! Where is she?_" I asked myself, panicking. Puck noticed my worried expression.

He placed a hand on my shoulder and looked me in the eye. "Everything alright, Princess?" he was concerned, and that eased my mind a little, knowing I hadn't ruined our friendship because of a little mistake. That didn't help though, because Tansy was still out there. I just hoped she was okay.

"Y-yeah, it's- I mean, I'm fine. Tansy was with me and she disappeared. That's when I got lost and ..." I stammered, thinking of what might have happened to the timid and shy Tansy. She was a push-over and I didn't see her as the type to stand up for herself in face of danger. I tried not to imagine her being dragged off by some horrible creature.

"Don't underestimate Tansy." Puck said simply, giving a half-smile. "We'll go find her, but don't think you're getting off that easy." I turned and glared at him, wondering what he meant. Tansy wasn't the type to defend herself ... was she? At any rate, Puck was being annoying again. He seemed determined to make me pay for making him angry. Well, it was the least I could do.

"Alright, what do I have to do to make it up to you?" I asked with a sigh, praying he wouldn't ask for something that would cause me physical pain or embarrassment.

"Hmm ... you _did_ venture out on your own when I told you not to," he began, stroking his chin. "Then you actually thought a bogey was me," he turned to stare sharply at me out of the corner of his eye. One corner of his mouth twitched upward and I looked away quickly. I knew that devious smirk. Oh man, I was in too deep. I was in _his_ world now, where he could use his faery glamour without fear of humans finding out he was fey. I gulped loudly and he turned to me, smiling, as if he was trying to hold in a laugh.

"Oh, God, Puck. If you turn me into some kind of ugly thing I'll make you regret it." I said, comfortable that he was normal Puck and not livid Puck who made me cry.

"Oh, no. Something far worse. You'll wish you had never ventured into the Nevernever by the time I'm through with you." He sounded sinister, my comfort flying out the window with each word he spoke. I glared at him, not in the mood for jokes.

"Alright, just spit it it out!" snarled, getting tired of waiting. He was enjoying this, tormenting me.

He walked over to me and grabbed my shoulders, turning my back to himself. I became a little dizzy and my stomach lurched as he did so. When I was facing the other direction, I tensed, the hair on my back standing on end. He let out a small chuckle, trying to hide it, knowing I was afraid. How could someone enjoy this?

He leaned over my shoulder. "You have to carry me back to my place." he said quickly. Before I could protest he his arms around my neck leaped into the air, wrapping his legs around my waist. I mumbled a curse and hooked my arms under his knees. He wasn't so heavy, but he wasn't feather light, either. I stood there, my knees shaky from the weight. He rested his chin on top of my head and snickered. I made a face of shame and disgust, though I knew he couldn't see it.

He wasn't letting go either. He had such a good grip on me that my hips were hurting. It was as if he was supporting himself with only his legs, letting his arms hang loosely in front of me. I shook my head and began walking, dodging trees. I didn't say anything and neither did he. I had never been this embarrassed before. "Go faster. And you're going the wrong way." I almost let go of him, but he felt my arms loosen and tightened his hold. "_I was_ not _getting out of here alive._"

I turned and stumbled to the left, getting an insult from jerk. I swore to myself that, when this was over, I was going to get him back.

"Let's go! I've seen your grandmother go faster than this, sheesh!" he yelled. That ticked me off, even though I knew good and well that he had never met my grandmother. Without warning, I burst into a full run, almost making him lose his balance. No way I was letting him enjoy this. He had been underestimating me for far too long. I had wanted revenge from the very moment he left me in the forest. Now it was _my_ turn. Grinning sordidly, I barely dodged trees, run under extremely low branches (making sure to smack him in the head every chance I got), and jumped off of boulders. He wasn't enjoying this anymore, but he wasn't letting go. That was fine with me. I liked a challenge every now and then.

For some reason, I didn't fear anything while I was with him. I didn't even think of Tansy. I was actually having a ton of fun, though I was exhausted. As I ran under trees he would flail his arms and try to dodge tree limbs, sometimes trying to knock me down. I had seen the perfect opportunities to drop him or leave him hanging on a tree branch while I booked it, but I never did. And likewise, he had a billion opportunities to knock me off balance and send me hurtling into a tree, but he didn't take advantage of that. In all honesty, it was really great to have fun with my best friend again.

I had slowed significantly, my arms and legs searing with pain, and collapsed. I let him go as I sank to my knees and he simply stood there until I was absolutely laying on the ground, gasping for breath. I opened my eyes to find him wiping blood from his forehead, glaring down at me with a smirk plastered across his face. "Well," he said and I pushed myself off the ground, still gasping for breath, examining my wounds. "Looks like we've made it. And in record time." he claimed, helping me up. I was about to ask him what he meant, but then it came into view as he pushed back a tree branch a few feet away.

His house. Not just a door, but an entire house. It was yellow with large windows and it looked like all the lights were off. Hopefully he had some sort of candles or lamps. Wait. If this was his house, then where was I last night? "Next time you do something like that that to me, " I gasped, "I'll honestly hurt you." I said to him.

"As if bleeding wasn't enough? And you're bleeding too." he said, motioning to me. I looked at my legs again and saw that he was right. I was bleeding a lot more than he was. He had a couple large scratches on his forehead, but my legs were completely thrashed. I was starting to regret wearing these shorts. Speaking of ...

"Puck, why am I wearing these clothes?" I asked, remembering that they weren't the ones I had on when I first entered faery land.

"Oh, well, I could 'em off if you want- " he never got finish. I was already standing and had punched him in the jaw before he completed that sentence. I did _not_ want to hear that. "Geez, that was weak." he said, changing the subject.

"Oh shut up, I'm exhausted. You're so heavy." I lied, walking away, smiling to myself. I knew that would strike a nerve.

"Hey, Princess! That hurts. I've been watching my diet for a good decade now." he put his hand on his chest as if I'd broken his heart. I must've really hit the nail on the head.

Without much more conversation, besides him pulling my hair and me swatting at him, we made our way into the big yellow house, with the gigantic windows. _Puck's_ house.


	3. The Body Chute

**AN**;_ Has anyone ever heard of the Body Chute, or the Death Tunnel from Waverly Hills Saniterium? It was the inspiration for this chapter. I really want to go one day. Aside from that, this chapter is kind of short. My apologies. I may add more later on, but for now, this is all yah get! Don't forget to comment. I need to know what you guys like, so feel free to give me some ideas. I know there's not much romance in this chapter, but hey, at last Puck's house is beautiful. _

Bramble surrounded the edges of the house, there was no way around. This must have been far away from everyone else for a reason. It was a little scary at first, wondering if someone evil was lurking in the thorns surrounding us. The trees seemed to have faces etched in the trunks, but I looked away and figured it was my imagination. The house we were standing in front of had no door, but was very clean. There were vines touching it, no dirt or dust had settled near the bottom, and the windows were perfectly cleaned. It was breathtaking.

I looked up at the roof, a black dome shape sitting upon a large, roomy square. I cast a side glance at Puck, who was staring at me with that goofy grin. I snorted and looked away. I doubted that he could ever be serious about anything. Well, not for long, anyway.

"Is this _your_ house?" I asked, expecting a 'nah-durr' comment from him as I turned to face him. He was still staring at me.

He threw his arms out wide. "Welcome to the International House of Puck, Princess." I slugged him in the shoulder as he faced his house. He raised up one hand and whispered something I couldn't hear.

"What are you doing?" I questioned, as a ripple went through the air. No sooner than it had happened, a door materialized in front of us.

"That answer your question? Or do you still need me to explain?" sarcasm was thick in his voice as he motioned toward the door. "Ladies first." he stepped back and opened the door for me. I stepped inside and a gasp escaped. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

I looked around the room I was standing in, gaping as I did so. The floor was gold here, much like it had been at the other place, the different colored gems sparkling underneath the tile, the gold shimmered like magic. This must have been the foyer, given the grand staircase, lined with golden stairs. The gaurdrail was like a crooked tree spindling up to the top, where the platform above us parted into diferent directions. A chandelier dangled high above me, golden chains holding different shaped jewels. The walls were like coloured fog, dancing about in the wind. The house had looked solid from outside, but I wanted to dance with the mist as it flickered against pitch black, casting a glow all around. This wasn't a house. This was a _mansion_. And a magical one at that.

After I was finished gawking, I turned to face Puck. He was looking at me with amusement swirling in his green eyes, killing the surreal mood. "Try not to get any drool on the furniture." he sighed, taking a place beside me. I almost hit him, but decided not to. For some reason, it was impossible to be annoyed by him in this place. Maybe it was because he was doing some kind of fey-voodoo on me, but it suddenly didn't matter to me anymore.

"I take it you like the place?" he asked. He smiled and started toward the stairs. "Care to take the grand tour? Just don't ask too many questions." The last part of that sentence was almost too quiet to hear.

"Well, duh!" I said, shaking the feeling that he had hidden secrets here. "You can't just bring me into a place like this and expect me to stand here doing nothing."

"Well, come on then, but this place is pretty big. We could be walking for a while." he explained, but suddenly I remembered our little 'adventure' through the Wyldwood. My legs were throbbing from running so much without rest. I was instantly aware of how much pain I was in and was surprised that I hadn't passed out or fainted.

"Maybe we should hold off on that tour, Puck." I told him, my eyes almost watering from my aching, burning muscles. "I need to rest. My legs hurt because you're a lazy cow who can't walk for two minutes without complaining." I nagged. I was never the one for walking a long distance either, but Puck was a drama queen when he wanted to be.

He pouted and took on a defiant stance, as if to protect his pride. "Another insult about my weight? Most of this is muscle you know!" he exclaimed.

"Puck!" I shouted, a little angry that he was taking me so lightly. "My legs are sore. I need to rest." I told him, lowering my voice to a calm, yet firm audacity.

He sighed and motioned for me to follow him. I did so, wearily. To my horror, he padded up the stairs. With ease. I almost whined that I would have to walk all the way up there on my own. Forget his help, he probably wanted to get rid of me as soon as he could. He had called me pathetic and said that bringing me here was a stupid mistake. I knew it was a mistake because Oberon had ordered him not to bring me here at all, but he broke that rule and here I was. Maybe I should have just went home with Tansy's help. Poor Tansy...

Re-focusing on trying to get upstairs, I placed a hand on the wooden railing and trudged up the stairs. I swayed a bit, trying not to trip over my own two feet. I distracted myself by staring off to the side, making it look like I was admiring the beauty of this place. The room blurred as I spaced out, hoping he wouldn't notice. I took note that there were no photos on the walls. Well, the walls were foggy mist that weren't stable looking, but upstairs the walls were solid and golden. No pictures at all. None of his friends or family. I made a mental note to ask him about it later. I winced once when my leg brushed the rough tree bark. Luckily, I was already at the top of the stairs.

I heard faint snoring from Puck, who was pretending to be asleep. He opened his eyes and jumped, looking around frantically for a moment. His gaze settled on me. "Oh, you finally made it." he said, smirking again. He was still mad about the cow-joke. "Well, let's get your wounds treated. Then we can go to bed- " he stopped, looking at me with a horrified look on his face. My expression mirrored his. He turned and scratched his head, stammering an apology, and walked on without hesitation. I shook myself from my embarrassed daze and followed him, staying back a good three feet.

"Well, here we are." he sad finally, after at least half an hour of turning down corridors, taking sharp lefts, and running into walls. He pushed open a wooden door, single-handedly and lead me into a dark room. When I walked in, a candle flickered on. I looked around, my eyes adjusting to the darkness. The walls were dark blue and there was very little furniture here, none of it matched. I took a spot on the small sofa against the wall. This room was small and I felt crowded.

I stared out the window at the pitch black, thinking of my brother. He was the only reason I was here. My head touched the cool glass and I closed my eyes, remembering my home life. All I wanted now was to save Ethan and go back to my Mom. I missed everyone, heck, I even missed Luke. Aside from that, I wanted to ask Puck about the book. As memories of the night before flooded my mind as I drifted off to sleep.

I woke up, this time it was daylight out, with my bladder about to burst. I hadn't used the toilet in forever. It was screaming for relief. I bolted upright and looked around frantically for Puck, when I noticed I was on a soft bed. It had golden pillows and a white comforter, which felt soft as a cloud. But I couldn't sit here and admire the room. I had to pee! I also quickly took note that I was in the same clothes I had on yesterday. Maybe I would take a shower too.

I slid carefully out of bed so I didn't irritate my kidneys. One wrong step and it was all over. I wouldn't be able to bear the embarrassment. "Puck!" I yelled, tip-toing out of the room with large steps. To my misfortune, he wasn't around. I hopelessly decided to venture out and find it one my own, even though this house had a hundred rooms. I wandered around quickly, like a mouse, scurrying from hall to hall. I finally found a door that looked promising.

I grabbed the door knob and twisted, shoving open the door. It was pitch black. I step inside, hoping to find a light switch, but as I did, all hope was lost. The floor dropped out from under me and I plummeted into darkness. I didn't know how long I had fallen, or when I didn't have to pee anymore. I screamed and screamed for help, hoping Puck would burst through the door and save me, or at least _try_. He never did. After a while, the light from the door became smaller and smaller, until I couldn't see it anymore.

Suddenly, something thick and wood-like wrapped around my waist and I dangled there, like a dead man. I wriggled around, trying to get loose, but decided that it was best I didn't move. A moment later I heard something crawling down the wall and I screamed bloody murder. Images of giant spiders, the grudge girl, the girl from the ring, and demons swirled around in my mind as I stared up into darkness. I tried to attain the image of whoever was there, but it was hopeless. I was immobilized by fear, not that I was going anywhere. I could have at least punched or kicked, though I wasn't sure how that would fare here.

"Calm down, Princess." said the creature as it reached down to find me. It was almost too good to be true.

"Puck!" I said, still scared. I reached up and grabbed him and pulled him close, digging my fingers into his shirt. I was so happy to see him I almost started crying.

"Ah, that's my skin." he complained, bracing himself against the wall. "You gotta let go if you ever want out of here."

I didn't say anything. I didn't let go. I was too afraid to move, let alone _let go_. My grip on him tightened and he wheezed, unable to breathe clearly. He seemed to have realized how afraid I was and caressed my head, pulling it to his chest. When I calmed down, finally, with one last squeeze, I willed myself to let him go. I heard him inhale deeply to reclaim his breath.

"How did you get down here?" he asked, breaking whatever had me suspended in the open space. I heard it snap and gasped, sure I would fall to my doom. Without warning I was falling again, but it only lasted a second. I landed on my back, hit my head on the wall, and lay there, too stunned to move. "Geez, Princess. It's not like I'm gonna kill you." he said, dropping down. His boots made a squishing sound as he sloshed through God-knows-what to help me up. As he neared, something splashed up on me.

"Puck?" I asked, trying not to sound grossed out. "Where are we?"

I felt his hand wrap around my wrist and his eyes, I noticed, glowed in the dark. "The Body Chute." he said. He was calm when he spoke, pulling me to my feet. That name made me nauseous. Were we standing in dead bodies? Had I landed in someone's guts and blood? I became dizzy and reached for Puck, tried to grab my arm as I collapsed. "Meghan!" he called, I could think about was the sloshy noise, thoughts of dead bodies and blood, until my consciousness slipped away. As it did, I wondered why all I could smell was Puck's shampoo, not rotting corpses.


	4. House of Horrors

**AN**; _This chapter is the one of my favorites. I hope it turns out to be great, like I wanted. I'm still trying to get the hang of capturing Meghan's emotions. That being said, I also want to learn how to better see others' emotions through our Heroine's eyes. There's a teensy-weensy bit of romance, nothing too heavy. In the next Chapter, Elysium, Meghan meets Ash. Actually, there is a surprise chapter coming up for Ash lovers. Puck too! Enjoy, everyone!_

_PS- Sorry it took so long to update. When I have writers' block, I REALLY have writers' block. Typos and errors? Let me know in an email or review so I can fix it. Don't be shy, I wont bite. Much._

**House of Horrors**

"...ghan..." came a garbled, yet soft voice from far away. The comfort of sleep was calling to me, but I knew I had to fight it. My eyes wouldn't open. It was like they were being weighed down by five ton anvils. I was conscious at least, but was too tired to panic about never waking up again. As sleepy as I was, I _wanted_ to sleep forever.

If I slept forever, I would not have come here and found out my best-friend was a faery, I would never have been kidnapped by blasted goblins, I wouldn't have been turned into a rabbit. The only reason I came to this stupid faery world in the first place, was to save my brother- "_Ethan!_" my inner voice called. At that, I stirred in my tired state trying to wake myself up completely. My brother was still out there somewhere, scared and lonely, waiting for me. He _needed_ me. I opened my mouth to speak, but heard a gurgle come from my throat. I tried again. Nothing came out.

"...Meghan... ple ...wake .. !" the voice was calming, though worried, but I knew I'd be okay. If he could stop being such a crybaby and help me open my eyes, well that would be wonderful. I was sure it was Puck because the person grabbed my arms and was shaking me violently. "Princess!" the voice called, this time it was clear. I was no longer fighting the clutches of sleep, but my eyes wouldn't open. I raised up, reaching a hand to my eyes, automatically assuming the worse. Had I been cursed by a faery to go blind? Had faery magic been used to seal my eyelids shut?

The material was silky and smooth, but pulled so tightly my eyes were suffocating. I pulled the blindfold from my eyes and placed it beside myself on the bed, waiting for the black fog to clear.

Soon, a blurry Puck came into view. "Puck," I whispered, my voice shaky. At least I could form words with my mouth. "What happened to me?" I asked, dazed and confused, as my vision cleared completely. I took in my surroundings. I was in the room I had been in earlier today. I was on the white bed again, on top of the covers, which were neatly pulled over the sheets. I glanced at my legs, which were bandaged from the knees up. Just _how_ far up? I didn't even want to know. I also saw that I was covered in dirt. And blood.

Then I remembered. "The B-Body Chute," I whispered, covering my mouth. I stared at my legs, wondering how bloody I really was. My insides squirmed at the memory of landing on my back and the splattering noise that came with it. I choked down bile, trying hard not to puke. Something disturbed me, though. Why didn't it smell like dead bodies? I had a sinking feeling, like Puck was keeping something from me. I knew it was probably my vivid imagination, but this was a lot like a horror movie.

As I spoke the name of the dark hole I had fallen through, he gave me a grim look that disappeared as soon as I saw it, replaced by a normal Robbie-like grin. If you didn't know him, you wouldn't have noticed the sudden change in expression. My stomach contracted at that and I pulled back a little. I had never seen him like this. He was almost scary for a moment. Not even when I had made him angry was I afraid. "_Oh. My. God._ I thought. "_He's_ _going to kill me because I know too much! We've watched enough horror movies together, he should know everything in the book by now. I didn't know he was thinking like that while we were sitting there ..._" I thought, casting him a quick side glance for any hint of murderous intent. Nothing. Just a normal grin. But killers had perfected the art of looking normal- "_Get a hold of yourself!_" I exclaimed in my mind, breathing again. I wasn't sure when I had stopped. "_He's your best friend. He couldn't hurt you._" I told myself, not thinking on it any longer.

"You okay, Princess?" he asked, placing a hand on my forehead. "You fell down the- " I quieted him by lightly touching my fingers to his lips. He tensed a little and his green eyes were portraying a million different emotions. I had no idea what he was thinking.

"Please don't say it, I'm already about to puke." I said, curling a hand around my stomach. I moved my hand from his mouth and he stared at me. I felt, through my shirt, the bandages had been wrapped all the way up to my waist. I assumed my wounds were treated, but I didn't want to know how he even got them on that way. I examined my legs warily, not sure if I wanted to know if the wounds had been treated or if he had just hidden them underneath the bandage.

The clothes I was wearing were still the ones from a day ago. They weren't mine.

"Puck, where are my clothes?" I asked, letting this new question distract me from all the horrible things whirling around inside my head. His expression was an annoyingly devious smirk as he propped his legs up on the bed, lacing his fingers behind his head. The chair he was sitting in was leaning back so far that I could barely touch him and send him crashing to the floor. I honestly thought about it, but maturity got the better of me. Still, his mischievous attitude was contagious.

"That's for me to know and you to- " I interrupted him again.

"Puck," I yelled, turning to face him, "Where are my _clothes_?" I asked again, serious this time.

"Don't worry about that, Princess. I'll have them waiting for you when you finish your shower." With that, he turned in his chair, stood up, and motioned for me to follow. He was smirking like the overgrown brat he was. I stood up, staggered over to him, and hobbled after him. I kept my distance, but not enough to get lost. I finally decided to catch up to him after about fifteen seconds of walking and when I finally did, I slapped him across the side of his head. A loud '_whack_' resonated throughout the halls, silence settling around us. I shifted uncomfortably.

He stopped dead in his tracks, causing me to jump back. I found myself backing away slowly, ready to run if I had to. I swallowed hard and turned ever so slightly, so that I may escape somehow. His head jerked back in my direction. I almost screamed when I saw the whites of his were pitch black. If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was doing this on purpose. My body went into hyper-active mode and I ran the other way. "_Why am I running, I did hit him. He's my best friend ... I have to quit with this damse in distress thing._" I said to myself, but I didn't have time to think more on that.

With a loud '_thud_', I ran smack into the wall and bounced back. I rubbed my chin. Was it just me, or had the walls moved? I cursed and turned around, startled to see Puck directly behind me. I blinked. That was all it took.

Suddenly it was like I tripped the lid on his giggle box. He was hysterical, almost in tears, as he doubled over. He laughed until he was on his back gasping for breath. I leaned against the wall for support and, dropping this whole 'terrified' thing, started laughing too.

"Seriously, Princess?" he asked, wiping a tear from his eye. "Next time we're about to be killed, remind me to do that again!" he chuckled, trying to breath.

"Well," I laughed, "There wont be a next time if you keep that up." I walked over to him, offering a hand. I was impressed with my mock-threat. In all honesty, though, I _was_ a little wimpy. I was a little embarrassed about my behavior. I could have handled that better. But somehow it was like he knew he would frighten me. "_That must be it. He's trying to scare me so I'll go back home and not be hurt._" But we both knew it wasn't going to happen. I was hell-bent on finding Ethan.

Puck sat upright, taking my hand. I pulled him up, but... he pulled back, trying to pull me to the floor. I was _not_ about to get made fun of this time. I was stronger than that. He smirked up at me and I smirked back, pulling with all my might. He got the upper hand. I tumbled to the floor with a scream and he bolted. He wasn't about to strand me here. He laughed at me as he started out running, but I was too fast. I lunged forward and grabbed his shirt, pulling him backward.

Uh-oh. Quickly I tried to pull him to my side, as he had done with me. No such luck. I was too late and before I could think to move, he came crashing down on top of me. That's what I get for messin' with a Faerie. My ribs ached and my legs were throbbing from over use of ripped muscles.

"Hey big butt," I wheezed. He had landed right on top of my chest, crushing my lungs. I knew he wasn't fat, but hey, if it worked ... "Get. Up." I said between broken gasps. The jerk just sat there and cast a glare over his shoulder. It was the same look as before. For a second I started panicking, thinking I would suffocate. I squirmed and wriggled, helplessly, trying to escape. If he looked like that all the time, he wouldn't have any friends. Was he seriously mad at me for something so trivial? I saw the corner of his mouth twitch upward and knew he was faking. He was trying not to lose it, trying not to start laughing again. I was almost relieved, but if I wanted to win this little fight, I couldn't give in.

"_Two can play at that game_." I thought playfully. Staring up at the ceiling, I focused on a bright spot cast from the window down the hall. My eyes became dry and watery and, pulling my best sad face, I looked up as he turned sideways to face me. The shift in weight hurt, but I didn't flinch. One wrong move and it was all over for me. He wasn't being fair, using fey magic to scare me. He stared for a few seconds before his face softened. My eyes began to burn and I closed them.

I knew my cover was blown, but I could recover. I covered my face with my hands and, hating myself for it, used a double-edge sword. "Puck, get up, please? D-don't look at me like that." I begged, peering at him between my fingers. "I'm sorry, okay? You don't have a big butt, I just have a small chest." I heard a dignified snort and the weight lifted off of me.

I turned on my side to cower some more, but I wasn't finished yet. I had just told him a few minutes ago not to give me that look. It seemed as though he was testing me, trying to scare me like when I first arrived here. But, I promised to take him down the next time he looked at me like that. And I was bound by that promise. Since when was I a coward? How did I end up so scared? "_I'm stronger than this_." I told myself.

"God, Princess." he said, leaning over me. "You're _really_ scared." he sounded hurt and I jerked my chin up towards him. He wasn't smiling. There was no hint of humor in his eyes. His eyebrows arched over big green eyes, peering down at me. I felt a pang of guilt stab into my chest and I winced.

"Puck." I said normally. "I was kidding." I said sincerely, propping myself up onto my knees. I threw my arms up around his shoulders and pulled him into a hug. He was always there to comfort me when I was sad for as long as I could remember. Now it was my turn. I pulled him closer and ... with one swift move he was pinned to the floor before he could blink. I sat, straddling his chest, proud of myself. I wore a triumphant smirk as I crossed my arms and dared him to move. He didn't.

He stared up at me, bewildered, something I couldn't read raging behind his eyes. I was instantly curious about what could be going on in that messed up head of his. What was he thinking?

"M-meghan. Stand up." he stammered. He used my name. He was serious this time, but why? He didn't look me in the eye anymore. He was trying to hide something. I stood, not questioning his reasons. Maybe he was trying to get me back. Again.

My knee locked painfully before I could give it another thought and I collapsed to the right. I pulled my other leg away from him, rubbing my sore knee. I grimaced. "_What did he do_ _to my knee_?" I thought.

"You twisted your knee." he said plainly. He was already standing, helping me to my feet. He was quiet as he lead me down the hall. I was silent as well, wondering what had happened to make him change from Puck to a stranger. I didn't dwell on it too long. The thought of being able to bathe, _finally_, diminished all other thoughts into oblivion.

A few minutes later we were at a dark blue door. "You'll find extra towels in the corner to your right. And don't go rummaging through my stuff." he ordered, giving me a Puck-like smile. With that, he left me. I didn't know where to go after my shower, I still didn't know where my clothing was, and I didn't even know how to work the shower. He was _excellent_ at giving instructions...

I stepped into the room and looked around, amazed that this was actually a bathroom. "Wow." I said to myself, astounded. The room was Golden, accented with black. I looked around. Sparkling ivy leaves decorated the walls and the floor was tiled with black, golden crosses etched all over them. Then I saw it. The _toilet_. Apparently, Puck took the term 'Golden Throne' seriously.

After I did my business, I pulled the shower curtain and found a king sized tub with rainbow colored steam swirling about the top of the water. I would have been afraid it was too hot if I hadn't been so entranced by the colors skimming the water. Before I knew it, I was out of my clothes and sinking into warm water, hoping it wouldn't dye my skin some radical color. I was so comfortable and at ease that I become overwhelmed with drowsiness. That fantasy was interrupted by a white horse's head poking out of the water. I smiled at it, dazed and delirious- what in the world did he put in the bath?

I tried to think of what it was called, why I felt like I should run as I drifted. _Kelpie._ The thought startled me so much that I leaped up to escape. I remembered my last experience with one of those, those horse-like-thingies, and screamed bloody murder. I scrambled to get out of the tub, then slipped, sprawling onto the floor. I was terribly embarrassed and grabbed the closest clothing I could find. They were _not_ mine. No time to worry about that now.

When I turned to look back at the water as I reached for the door, The kelpie began thrashing around in the water, banging the tub with it's over-sized tail. I screamed tried the door. It didn't open. I banged on it and screamed for help. It shot open and I fell into the hallway. I took this as my chance to run. As I did so, the Kelpie roured and the door slammed, just as it made it's way out of the water and onto the floor. I bolted.

I wasn't sure which direction I took. The rooms changed colors as I passed through them, not hesitating at the doors. Eventually the rooms took on all new terrains of their own. There was a snowy dessert, where the sand was like warm snow. Across from that room was a normal closet, with normal things you would see. I raided the closet because, _hello_, this was Robin Goodfellow's house. There were a lot of sparkly things that made me wonder if the journal really _was_ his, but then I found it. The mac-daddy of all treasures. A small silver box, decorated with jewels, held a dancing ballerina. If that didn't scream gay, I didn't know what would.

I slipped on a golden bangle with purple and blue diamonds. I would give it back later. I moved out of the closet and walked back down the hallway and into a room that was nothing but pink. My mind began reeling. Was he _really_ gay? My best friend. Was gay. At least we could trade clothes. That had always struck my fancy, but I didn't have any girl friends back home. I had never had a boyfriend either. I was about to cry, now that I was alone. A gut-wrenching noise shook me from those thoughts as I noticed the walls were closing in on me.

I ran again and as soon as I was out of that room, I staggered to a serious slow-down. I leaned on the wall for support. My legs were still sore. How could I only begin to realize how pathetic I was _after_ I almost died? I made my way to the only door I could see now and pulled it open. It was a small, pitch black room. I remembered the body chute and staggered backward. Then I heard it. The kelpie screamed and slithered down the hallway, that seemed to come from no where, dragging its tail behind it.

I knew what I had to do. Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward to fall down the hole. Before I began falling, I felt someone pulling me away from the room. The kelpie. It had me. I was dead. Next thing I knew I was being hurdled through the air and hit a wall. Pain exploded throughout my body as I crumpled to the floor. I looked up to see Puck. Relief filled my heart and I smiled up at him, though he was facing the monster-sized kelpie.

He saved me again. In that moment, I wondered if it was really true that he was gay. Instantly, I wished with all my heart that he wasn't. I made up my mind to ask him. I didn't know why, but seeing him standing there, protecting me, made my heart turn flips. He was strong and I had always looked at him like he was an immature child. But looking back, he was always there. There were times when he would have done anything to keep me from getting hurt. He was far more mature than I was. How old was he anyway? That was my last thought before consciousness left me.

I opened my eyes to find myself still on floor where I had been slammed into the wall. I stood up, knowing Puck must be around somewhere. Everything swirled and swayed until I caught myself from falling. A second later, Puck leaped out of the pitch black room. My breath caught when I saw him standing there, a feral look in his eye. He was smeared with blood and his hair was a mess. And then the scent of his shampoo hit me like a whirlwind of colors. It was very much like honey and lavender. I blinked a couple times. Was he really all bloody? Was I seeing things?

"You look like a druggie, Princess." he scoffed, playfully. There was a morbid look in his eye, one that made me stand up straight. It disappeared, again. What was with him? Gods, what was he thinking? I brushed off the comment and focused more on the death tunnel.

"You don't look so great either. What's with your shampoo, Puck?" I asked, wincing as I shifted my weight to my right leg. I limped over to him, slowly. He grinned and patted me on the shoulder.

"I guess it's about time I told you. It isn't really shampoo." he said. I was stricken with fear. "It's blood. Plain and simple. It didn't smell like rotting corpses down there because fey don't stink. Fey never stink." he said. His prissy attitude did nothing to help the "gay theory". Speaking of...

"Are you gay, Puck?" I asked, exasperatedly. I just wanted answers. If I wasn't getting out of here, I deserved to know the truth.

He looked at me with huge eyes. Slowly, though, a huge grin made its way across his face. Before I knew what was happening, he was hysterical again. He slapped his leg as he laughed, out of breath. "Wow, Princess!" he called. "You really know how to brighten someone's day."

I was relieved. He wasn't gay. "Okay. So what about this body chute thing?" I asked as he began walking. I kept pace with him as we turned corners and corridors.

"Ah, that. This place is crawling with goonies and creepers. Sorry for not telling you that before you got here." He said, raking his hand through his hair. He inhaled deeply and sighed. Puck gave me a half-smile before continuing. "I didn't want you to know this about me, Meghan." he said. I shrank back. He was a killer.

"While you were out, there was another bogey-man. He looked like me again. I had to get rid of him as well." I looked at him as he spoke. "We need to figure this out."

I grimaced as I remembered why the bogey-man looked like Puck. Bogeys take on the form of your current worst fear. And mine was losing my best friend. "Puck, I wanted to say that I am sorry for reading the journal." I whispered. I reached out to him, but he shrugged back.

"Ah, it was nothin'." he said, thought I knew it wasn't nothing. He was still hurt over that. "By the way, are you afraid of me?" he asked, scratching the back of his head. I almost laughed at the absurdity of it, but then I realized that he was serious. How could he think that?

"Robbie, are you insane?" I stared into his eyes for a long moment before I caught what I had just said.

"That tells me everything." he sighed.

"What do you mean? I meant to say Pu- " he interrupted me.

"Are you kidding? All you've wanted was to go back to your normal life since the day you set foot here. You didn't mean to say Puck. You don't want Puck, you want Robbie." he was pissed. "Well, too bad Princess, the only one here is Puck and you're stuck with him until you save your brother. That, or until he kills you." He was glaring daggers at me now.

My throat tightened to the point that I couldn't breathe. Why was he saying these things to me? How dare he insult me like that? Well, I wasn't about to cry. Not this time.

"How dare you threaten my life." I said, more as a statement than a question. "You and I both know you wont raise a hand to me." I glared back at him. Then, as if only to defy me, he raised his hand in a threatening manner. Before I could stop myself, I slapped him so hard it split his lip and brought tears to his eyes. I saw fear, raw fear, evident in his eyes for a split-second. Then it turned to anger. I thought he might hit me. I was ready for it.

This was about to be one Hell of a bloodbath.


	5. Interlude of the Unseelie Prince

**A/N:**_ I know the story has been a little difficult to follow until now, so I will try my best to keep it simple and entertaining. I am still a novice when it comes to story writing, so be patient with me! And now for chapter 4.5. Oh, the last chapter ... yeah. Ick. Anyway, this one's for TEAM ASH! I really hope I nail it. -Mansynthe_

_PS; I tried a different writing style in this chapter. Which do you prefer? POV or third person? I would like to know so I could organize my story better. Tell me in a PM or review and I will reply ASAP. Toodle-oo!_

**Interlude of the Unseelie Prince**

Ash stared impatiently at the albino kelpie. _Tap, tap, _across the table. His fingers were impatient as well, waiting for an explanation as to why the girl was alive. The kelpie's eyes bore into his, not a bit afraid. The prince arched his brows and rubbed his temples. _Why, God, was I cursed to be the keeper of this morbidly obese kelpie? It has done nothing but caused me problems. _He sighed and leaned back in his chair. This wasn't going anywhere.

"Look, you fat ugly thing." he growled. Ash stood, slamming his fists on the table, jarring the entire room. Icecicles fell from the ceiling and crashed around them, some dangerously close to them. The kelpie whimpered up at him, but he showed no sign of emotion. "Don't cry at me. I cannot help you if you do not tell me how." His temper was fading now, but he was sure it wouldn't be long before the icy hand-of-justice shoved another stick up his hind-end.

The kelpie rolled her piercing red eyes at him and snorted. "As it turns out," the kelpie began, "The girl can run fast when she is scared." Ash narrowed his gaze on kelpie. He was going to have to kill the whelp-bastard himself. "Her little '_Puck'_ saved her from me. I almost thought he would kill me, but I managed to get away." she swished her tail at that and refused to speak further.

"And what of the bogey-man, Marl?" Ash asked, almost knowing the answer already. He had sent this bogey-man, with an entire list, _written down_ of what Goodfellow's traits were. Could the damn thing really be so stupid. If Marl wasn't already dead, he would kill him himself. He gritted his teeth as he contemplated a way to get to the girl. Then a thought struck him. _I will be seeing her at Elysium, no doubt._ He ould almost laugh at how easy it would be. With that, he stood and left the room. He would send someone in later to clean up the mess.

The kelpie sat alone, contemplating all that had happened. She stared down at the small lacerations on her legs and sides. That Goodfellow person was very skilled with a dagger. _I wonder if he would accept an apology from an Unseelie kelpie._ She pondered for a moment, but the thought was absurd! She would never find it in her heart to ask forgiveness, to humble herself, before the vey person who had bloodied her perfectly white coat. She snarled down at her hoofs and tossed her head before galloping out of the small storage room. Perhaps she would find some starfruit to munch on.


End file.
